This invention relates to providing a game system. More particularly this invention relates to providing a game system with game pieces that have capture and defense indicia arranged in a variety of configurations angularly spaced in substantially forty-five degree increments. Games, and particularly strategy games, must often balance simplicity with strategic difficulty. Often, in order to provide a game of sufficient strategic difficulty to challenge players and maintain their interest the game must provide a high degree of complexity. Many strategically interesting games are too complicated and involved for beginners to learn quickly and easily. Other games are too simple to provide a challenge after repeated play time and again.